Discover the Magic: 14 Amazing Fun Facts About Reunion Island You Need to Know

1. Lava Game Champion

If the floor is lava were a real game, Reunion Island would be the undefeated champion: This Indian Ocean gem boasts the Piton de la Fournaise, one of the most active volcanoes on the planet, erupting over 180 times since its French discovery in 1643 and drawing both wide-eyed tourists and eager geologists to witness its fiery spectacle.
Source => everyculture.com

2. Sassy and Steamy Volcano Tours

Has your morning coffee ever come out your nose after being subjected to a humorous anecdote? Well, buckle up: the Piton de la Fournaise volcano on Reunion Island is over 500,000 years old, but it's still considered a young, steamy volcano. Not only is it safe to explore, with only a few fiery tantrums to its name, but visitors can even embark on a full-day tour, including lunch and a fabulous view from 2,300 meters above sea level at Pas de Bellecombe.
Source => viator.com

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=> Fun Facts about Mauritius

3. Hide-and-Seek Lava Tubes

If the Earth played a game of "Hide-and-Seek" with its volcanic wonders, a round on Reunion Island would definitely be worth lava-ing up to: this Indian Ocean gem boasts an abundance of lava tubes, formed by the numerous eruptions of Piton de la Fournaise volcano, and offers incredible spelunking experiences for visitors craving an up-close encounter with these mind-blowing geological formations.
Source => en.reunion.fr

4. Aquaman's Marine Paradise

Move over, Aquaman, there's a new underwater haven in town: Reunion Island's Natural Marine Reserve protects a vast section of the coral reef and its incredible aquatic inhabitants, making it a hotspot for diving enthusiasts to witness nature's own marine movie unfold, starring vibrant fish, dolphin sidekicks, turtles, and the much-coveted lead stars, the whales.
Source => en.reunion.fr

5. Baguettes, Bikinis, and Health Care Bliss

Who knew baguettes and bikinis would blend so seamlessly on a remote tropical island? Sacre bleu! Réunion Island's secret recipe: Situated in the Indian Ocean, this island is actually an overseas territory of France, making it part of the European Union and operating on the euro currency. Plus, their healthcare system is très magnifique - administered through the French national health insurance program, most patients don't have to cough up a cent, or rather, un centime!
Source => ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

6. Avian Casanovas: Reunion Cuckooshrikes

Who needs a love potion when you're a Reunion Cuckooshrike? These exclusive island avian Casanovas mate for life and have better chemistry than Ross and Rachel: Found only in two mountain forests in NW Reunion Island, the critically endangered Reunion Cuckooshrike is known for being territorial and monogamous, feeding mainly on insects and occasionally fruits. Tragically, their dwindling population faces threats like habitat degradation, nest predation, poaching, and human disturbances.
Source => oiseaux-birds.com

7. Vanilla Fudge Buzz

What's the buzz, Vanilla Fudge? Edmond Albius was the bee's knees at pollination parties, so much so that he created the sweetest method for manual vanilla pollination that's still all the rage today: Reunion Island's coveted Vanille de l'île de La Réunion is produced through Albius' legacy technique, earning it a protected geographical indication and making it a staple of the island's economy – just don't confuse it with the wildly exaggerated claim of providing 80% of the world's vanilla supply!
Source => agriculture.ec.europa.eu

8. People-Friendly Eruptions

If the floor is lava, Piton de la Fournaise is the world champion: Reunion Island's star volcano erupts with gusto over 150 times since the 17th century, yet island tourism thrives thanks to its remote location within a national park and a penchant for taking out highways rather than people.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Leprosy Eradication Success

Who needs a prescription for leper relief when you've got Reunion Island? The ultimate leprosy cure-all was once brimming with scaly residents, but: since the 1980s, improvements in health care and living conditions have dwindled the number of new cases to a measly 25 between 2005 and 2013, meeting the World Health Organization's eradication goal.
Source => journals.plos.org

10. Creole's Linguistic Gumbo

Surprise, you're Creole! Reunion Island says "au revoir" to language norms and "bonjour" to a linguistic gumbo mixed with French, Malagasy, African, and Indian influences: Known as Creole, this unique language is widely spoken among the island's multicultural population, making those who only speak French affectionately termed "zoreys" by the locals.
Source => en.reunion.fr

11. The Madmen's Ultramarathon

If you thought running a marathon was like climbing Mount Everest in roller skates, feast your eyes on this madness: The Grand Raid de la Réunion, nicknamed "La diagonale des fous" (The Madmen's Diagonal), is an annual mountain ultramarathon held on Réunion island every October, covering a whopping 162 kilometers with an elevation gain of 9643 meters - making it one of the world's most gut-busting footraces known to (mad) man!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

12. Dance Battle for Heritage

In a classic dance-for-your-rights move, the island of Réunion had to dance off against the French authorities to preserve their rhythmic heritage: Maloya, a major music genre of Réunion, was initially banned in the 1970s for being viewed as a threat to the French state, but eventually found redemption and was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for France in 2009.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

13. Cultural Melting Pot Paradise

Straight out of a Benetton ad, Reunion Island is a haven for the culturally indecisive: This French department boasts a melting pot of ethnicities, including African, Indian, Chinese, European, and Comorian roots, giving it a truly multicultural identity.
Source => everyculture.com

14. Volcano-Shark Love Connection

If Piton de la Fournaise were on a dating app, it would probably list its relationship status as "actively erupting": Réunion Island's own natural firecracker, this volcano boasts not only its charm as a tourist magnet, but also a peculiar connection to furtive bull sharks, whose presence may be the result of sediment drama from the aforementioned volcanic flirtation!
Source => 9news.com.au